The California Surfwear Company That Wants to Get Into the Hotel Business

Kevin Sablan, The Orange County Register

- Jan 08, 2014 7:00 am

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A hotel chain that can cater to active families is not a bad idea — especially one that thinks beyond the traditional family resort activities.

— Jason Clampet

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Huntington Beach-based surfwear company Quiksilver is extending its brand name to a new action-sports hotel concept called Quiksilver Hotels & Resorts International. The exclusive licensing agreement encompasses use of Quiksilver’s brand and retail presence, but QHRI is a separate entity from the publicly traded surf-apparel company.

Matteson Capital, the Newport Beach developers behind the QHRI project, began raising a first round of $250 million in November. Over the next three to five years, the money will be used to build and acquire a handful of properties that feature amenities like on-site concert venues, skate parks, surf pools and indoor skydiving, in partnership with big names like Kelly Slater and Tony Hawk.

“Quiksilver had a vision to extend its brand into hotels. It’s designed to be a family-friendly, three- to four-star chain — more a place where people can travel with families and have their kids be active,” said Jay Rogers, president of Alpha Strategies Investment Marketing, the firm in charge of QHRI’s marketing efforts. “The hotel development group is constantly looking at new properties and taking over existing brands, not only in Hawaii and Bali and Costa Rica, but inland areas as well, like Anaheim and Orlando next to Disney.”

According to Rogers, the first property will likely open in Palm Springs, where QHRI is developing a 35-acre tract of land for a flagship resort.